Seven Years and Free
by Michelle.elaine
Summary: Severus and Lily decide that it is seventh year, why not be extravagant and daring and run away together, just as they intended on doing. Too bad the Marauders have a different plan. ( Rated M for future chapters )
1. Chapter 1

**Goodafternoon! i would just like it to be known that this is an AU story about Severus and Lily. **

**I've rated M just incase for future chapters, so I suggest that unless you are above the age of 16 you do not read the M chapters.**

**I do not own any of JK Rowling's characters, so Severus and Lily and many others are borrowed for the purpose of my story. **

**Thank you :) **

Lily leaned her head down towards her chest, letting her hair drape a thick red curtain around her face, blocking her view from the rest of the room. She felt secluded, and it gave her some time to think. Thinking was rare when you sat in front of James Potter. Her almond eyes closed briefly and she tried to pull out every small bit of information that was hidden in the nooks and crannies of her mind. Though she could admit that she was fantastic at charms, the N.E.W.T.S weren't exactly the easiest thing. Something about pulling every bit of important information learned throughout the year was overwhelming to her. Her bright green eyes opened briefly and scanned the room. Professor Flitwick had finally taken his seat at his small oak desk in the front of the room, his small legs becoming worn out from standing and observing the class. Lily couldn't help but notice the desk was shrunk down to his size almost perfectly, but still looked like it was prepared to swallow his small body if necessary. Lily shook her head and relaxed a bit, rolling her petite shoulders back in two small circular movements, then front in two circular movements. She knew she was prepared for this N.E.W.T, and now that Professor Flitwick's eyes were off her she could finally relax and begin. This left just James' eyes, stabbing into her back like pins as she picked up her white quill; he was waiting for her to turn around so he could flash her his usual cheeky grin just for her to roll her eyes at. She took a deep breath and smiled to herself, looking down to her test.

"_Explain the process, use, and spell incantation for the 'Water-Making Spell'"_

Lily nearly laughed aloud to herself; the challenge level on this question was bewildering to her- it was almost as easy as a first year question. Aguamenti. Everyone knew that. She dipped the tip of her quill into the small vial of black ink and began to write. As soon as she began to quickly scribble down how to preform the spell, a piece of paper charmed to fly buzzed from around her shoulder and hit her hand, causing her hand to jolt and a black line of ink to scratch along the page with the movement of her hand. She scowled momentarily and looked down to the small piece of white parchment, folded perfectly into fours. She set the quill down so it rested on the edge of her now ink marked paper and opened the paper with her nimble fingers.

"_Evans, please go on a date with me." _

Lily paused and read over the line at least four times. For a moment, she considered saying yes, just to spice it up and add some variety, but she knew saying yes would give Potter power, and she had no idea how she would begin to make it through a full date with him without using the killing curse. Potter, nonetheless, and two years later he still wasn't giving up. He was almost as stubborn as a mule; it was frightfully amusing. She turned around, and for a brief moment her bright green eyes met his hazel ones, giving him a brief snippet of hope, only for her to tear it away when she picked up her quill and wrote a small _"no." _on the bottom. She let the ink dry for a moment and folded the paper back up, letting it fly magically back to James. She finished answering her question before looking up and locking eyes with Severus, who had been staring at James since the moment Lily sent the note flying back to him. Severus looked a bit pale. He wasn't stupid; he knew exactly what the note had said, and what Potter was proposing. He raised his eyebrows at Lily for an answer, praying to Merlin in his head that it was the same answer she had given countless times before. His hope and longing was fulfilled again when Lily shook her head no and returned to her work, and he finally let a breath out and returned to his N.E.W.T. Finally, he was seeing some sort of hope.

The N.E.W.T only took Lily about an hour to finish, and Severus shot a quick glance her way when she stood to turn in her parchment. She was brilliant, he could give her that. Her brilliance nearly outwitted anyone in their class, and for some reason Severus felt a sort of pride in Lily. Pride that she had successfully turned him into the man he was today, whether she knew it or not. He quickly jotted down a few more answers until he finished, letting the ink dry before lying his black quill off to the side and turning the parchment into Professor Flitwick and quickly grabbing his books, rushing out after Lily.

"Lily!" He called to her from down the hallway, dodging a few random students as he nearly sprinted to catch up to her. His black hair and cloak flew behind him like a set of angel wings as he ran, and when he finally reached her side he gave her a smile; a smile that Lily and only Lily would ever see. "How was it? I mean…The N.E.W.T that is." He stuttered nervously, his thin fingers wrapping around his book. Lily shrugged slightly and shoved her books into her satchel that she carried almost anywhere with her, a beautiful maroon colored one from her mother for holiday. "Perfect…I think. Though I nearly struggled with turning vinegar into wine." Her lips curled into a soft smile and she looked up at Severus, and just as he opened his mouth to speak, she cut him off.

"Severus, I want to be brave. I've followed rules for far too long and well…well we're in our Seventh Year and soon we'll be gone. I want to do something I'll remember, something daring and unknown." Severus felt his heart began to beat abnormally hard in his chest and for a brief moment, he pictured Lily leaning over and kissing him. He was unsure as to why that was what came into his head, but he felt it would have been right, and what a wonderful smack across Potter's face. "Wh- well, I mean I…" He couldn't perform a simple sentence, let alone hold his books anymore. He could swear the blood was rushing from his body to his feet as he looked at her hair. For a brief moment, he pictured his hands tangling their way into it as he pulled her against him and planted a soft kiss- he stopped himself and took a sigh. Too much thinking would land him in a bad place, and Severus was usually one to overthink. "What do you mean." He stated, his eyes moving to look down at Lily as she spoke. Lily looked across the hallway before she made eye contact with Mary McDonald, who was waving her over to a group of Gryffindor girls. Lily chuckled, a small laugh that she usually gave and looked at Severus. "We'll discuss it later, I have to run." She grinned and began to run off towards Mary, and she called over her shoulder. "I'll speak with you later, Sev!"

He watched her run and for a moment, observing the way that her hair flowed over her shoulders. He sighed and wrapped pulled his cloak around his thin body and looked after her and her friends briefly. He felt his heart break into a million small pieces at what could have just happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Good evening. Chapter 2 for you all. As I would like to remind, I do not own any of JK Rowling's characters, they are only used for my story.**

**Also, please keep an open mind on Lily. I believe her to be different than many people do ;] **

**Enjoy!**

Severus woke with a start and a cold sweat on his forehead, as he let out a grunt of pure rage and his hands balled into a fist and went flying into the side desk, sending the few bottles and the journal on his desk rattling and falling. He ignored the pain and his eyes widened with a brief moment of fear as his eyes quickly averted to the sound asleep Mulciber and Avery in the cots next to him. Mulciber only rolled over in his sleep, Avery remaining as stiff as a rock. Severus let out a soft, thankful sigh before looking down at his throbbing knuckles, where a dark red liquid began to pour from the knuckles down his fingers. He groaned and let his head fall back into the pillows, his eyes shutting.

"_Mudblood!" _

The word haunted his life and his dreams; ever since the day he called Lily a mudblood in 5th year. His tongue darted out and licked his suddenly dry lips, and his uninjured hand wiped the sweat from his face. The blood had begun to drip from the knuckles and onto his clean nightshirt that his mother had just sent him, and he stared at it for a long, hard minute. Lily would be able to fix it later; she was fantastic at these things. He rolled onto his side to look for any sort of tissue to wipe off the oozing liquid, but settled in wiping it on his nightshirt. There was no way he was going back to sleep now. He was thankful Lily was forgiving. Though they had lost contact for months and months at a time, and as much as Severus hated to admit it, he was nearly as pestering as Potter. All he wanted was Lily back; she was the only thing that he had left. The day she finally crawled back, Severus felt an urge of relief and felt as though he was able to breath again; his world was finally lifted.

But the mistake always haunted him.

It was three in the morning when Severus finally pulled himself from his unpleasant thoughts. The throbbing in his hand had finally subdued to a minimum, but they had begun to swell and turn a nasty purple color. He couldn't help but wince. The thought of anything but black on his body was revolting almost. After what seemed like fifteen hours more, Severus had finally been able to drift back to sleep, though it was the worst sleep he had ever fallen into.

**10 O'clock AM**

Lily gathered the few books she had carried with her that day and tucked them away into her satchel. It was warm, it was sunny, and Lily was all for it. Something about the sun brought out the best in people, even Potter who had been sitting quietly with his friends at the end of the table, not once glancing towards Lily. There was never a good thing about Potter, but today was definitely a day. She quickly took her leave from the Great Hall and wandered through the corridors, looking for someone specific.

It wasn't until she was about to turn the corner that she felt two rather cold, slim hands slide around her eyes. One though, wasn't as strong as the other. It couldn't have been Severus. The strength between the two hands was a distinct difference. He leaned around, closer to her ear. "Guess who?" He tried, with his voice a bit higher than his usual pitch. Lily chuckled again, causing Severus to smile very lightly. Her laugh was the second most beautiful thing he had ever heard, after her voice of course. But today, he was on a mission. The other day, she had left him wondering, and Severus was not one to lose detail.

"Well it can't be Severus…your hands feel different…" Lily mumbled, but when she pulled his hands away, the pained wince on Severus' face began slightly visible, and Lily looked down to the purple knuckles, each one covered with a different sized dried scrape. "Sev… what have you done?" She asked, in a small state of shock, and she reached for her wand from her satchel. How could he even begin to tell her of the nightmares that cost him night of sleep, or the occasional tear? "I…well, Mulciber wanted a uh…friendly fight."

Severus paused. Was friendly even the right word to use for Mulciber, let alone any Slytherin at all? Lily was fantastic with a wand, and she was able to fix his hand leaving behind only a small amount discolored bruising and a small but bearable amount of aching. She was fantastic. "Thanks…" He mumbled almost inaudibly as he opened and closed his hand to survey the movements as if he had a new hand.

"Lily." He paused and tucked his hands away into the pockets of his cloak, a usual place for them to be. "The other day, in the corridor. You mentioned something. Something about, being adventurous." He kept his small, stern tone, and he rocked slightly on his heels. The feeling of uneasiness and slight awkwardness were beginning to gnaw away at his bones. But, the smile that Lily produced when he brought it up was enough to fill the gaping holes in the bones.

"Sev, I've decided. I want you to take me to the Shrieking Shack."

As soon as the name escaped her perfect lips, Severus could feel the small amount of blood he had in his face drain, and as if impossible, his pale face became paler. "Dangerous…" His dark eyes looked everywhere but hers. Was he prepared to take her there? Did he know how to protect her? Hell, did he know how to protect himself? It wasn't until he felt the warmth from her fingers clasp his hand that he felt a warm rush of reassurance flow through his body. "Sev, I want to. Please."

Her green eyes pierced his dark ones and just like a mind reader, her puppy dog look dug deep down into his soul. He bit his lip and sighed. It was a never-ending struggle to keep Lily happy, but it was as struggle he was willing to fight. He smiled and nodded. "Come. Let's go." He tugged her along, keeping a firm grip on her hand. He knew all of the different ways to go as he lead her to the Whomping Willow and, skillfully dodging the branches, he led her below and through the dark tunnel.

It felt almost intimate to him, in a strange way. But he was alone with Lily, and it was dark. He flicked on the bit of light from his wand and led her through. He refused to let go of her hand, even while he could feel the small amount of nervous perspiration from her palm transfer to his; a situation that usually would have grossed him out. He paused to turn and look at Lily, who had her eyes squeezed shut in an almost hysterical way and she held him tightly. "Please remind me this is a good idea Severus…" She begged quietly, the vulnerability of this young red head almost made him upset. She was nervous, and sweating slightly. He paused and turned to look at her, kneeling down (as it was the only height he could manage). "Lily I'm not going to let go." The strength in his voice and tone was unbelievable, and he felt his heart protest against his ribcage, begging to be let out. "I'm going to be here for you, always." He gave her a small grin, and she opened up those brilliant green eyes he always loved and she nodded. He nodded, and turned, continuing the walk.

There, right at the end, was the opening, and Lily had just begun to imagine how this situation was about to make her life change.


	3. Chapter 3

**Update finally, apolgoize for the delay. **

**Again, JKR's characters, only used for the purpose of my story.**

Lily half expected a bright room filled with strange colors when Severus dragged her through the old, rotting door that led to the place Lily decided to break her 'no-rule-breaking' streak. With a name called Shack and an adjective like Shrieking attached, she wasn't sure as to why she expected it to be happy and joyful. What she found instead was a small room, covered in layers upon layers of grey dust. In certain areas though, the dust picked up a strange pattern, going from some thick layers to a whirl of dust. She noted the change but pushed it away, assuming it was just a small creature crawling about. The smell and the dust seeped into Lily's nose, and she began a coughing fit, searching everywhere in her robes for her wand. Severus stepped aside and watched her frantically look around. He himself had been used to the dust, seeing as he came here quite often to think. When Lily grabbed her wand finally, she illuminated the room so she could look around. Instantly, her eyes widened in horror.

It. Was. A. Mess.

She, like her mother, had taken a sort of pride in cleanliness, and seeing this room was not just frightening but appalling to her, giving her an overwhelming desire to clean. The moment she began a cleaning spell, Severus gently laid his hand ontop of hers, stopping her from performing the spell. "Don't…somebody will notice." He enthused quietly, pulling his hand away as quickly as he had set it there. The touch of her skin was nearly electrifying to him. It was warm and soft, and felt like heaven compared to his cold and clammy hands. He felt an overwhelming urge to grab her hand and hold it between his, stealing every last bit of warmth from her body because for some odd reason, it made him happy. He paused a moment and cast his eyes around the room. The darkness felt like home to him. It had been a place to escape, think, breathe, and most of all a place to think about Lily. After all, Lily had been everything to him from the moment he laid eyes on her.

She moved quietly, and though you could not hear her feet, her presence was made by the subtle creaks from the rotting wood floor beneath her. Severus watched her feet carefully, observing each step she took and the wood she stepped on, ready to pounce in the event she was going down. She paused just before the boarded windows and looked around. "Charming place." She muttered, sarcastically, and looked about once more. Severus was thankful it was nearly dark, because a small smile crept onto his lips at her sarcasm. Even when sarcastic she was adorable.

"It's suitable for the purpose…I'm sure…" He began. Though he couldn't exactly determine the function of the rickety old house, there was a reason it had been there. He took a deep breath and along with the smell of rot came a nose full of dust, and he cringed at the dustmites that he had learned about.

"Well?" He asked, taking a few cautious steps towards the crumbling fireplace. "How does it feel to be a….rebel?" Snape asked, his eyes wandering up towards the back of Lily's head. Even in the dark room, her hair shone as bright as the sun. All he wanted to do was touch it. No, not that. He wanted to run his hand through it and feel the texture. He assumed it was a bit less course than his. He watched as Lily drifted a thin finger along the wood and turned to look at him. Merlin, even her eyes shone brighter than they had before. He swallowed what felt like nails and raised a thick brow.

"Well…" Lily began, clasping her hands behind her back and looking up towards the ceiling. "There's more than just the urge to be a rebel that had me ask you to bring me here." She began, and she looked down at him. There it was. Those stupid little butterflies she only got when Severus came around began to fly around her stomach once more, hitting the walls as if to scream 'Let me out!' and she paused. She swallowed and her tongue darted out to lick her suddenly dry lips and she sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, a small coping mechanism she picked up during embarrassing or nerve-racking moments. This was the moment of truth for Lily. This was either going to make or break her and Severus' friendship, and she wasn't quite sure if she was ready for this. She was never one to express feelings so openly, and doing it here and now was going to freak her out.

_Come on Lily, don't be a baby. _She thought, and she nodded to herself- or more so to the voice inside her head, urging her on. Severus, on the other hand, had become pale as Nearly Headless Nick, which was odd and confusing since Severus was already a pale color. "Go on…" He urged quietly, though he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to hear the news; he was paranoid it would be something upsetting to him.

"We've been friends for years…" She began, pacing once more and he found himself watching her feet once more. He couldn't find the words to speak, so he remained silent, and looked back up to her eyes.

_Come on Lily... _He thought, trying to mentally urge her to confess what he had hoped to hear for years; if that was what she was planning on confessing at all. Worst case scenario, she was going to admit she was in love with James. The thought made Severus want to stab himself with a Basilisk tooth.

"I'm just going to confess this then." She swallowed every once of fear left in her and she took a breath. "Severus, I'm in love. I'm not just in love with anyone, I'm in love with you. From the moment that you met me under that tree, to the moment you accidentally called me a mudblood.." She couldn't believe she just said the word aloud, and secretly cursed herself in her head but she continued, "..to the moment that I'm standing with you right here. Oh please Severus, don't be angry." She begged quietly when she saw his cheeks turn a deep red color. He couldn't breath.

Every ounce of air escaped his body and ran towards the exit, where in any other scenario, he would have been too….but this was Lily. Here was the girl of his dreams, confessing her love to him in a dark, dusty room. It was his turn to be brave. He had to be brave like his mother. Brave like how he was when he stood up to his father on rainy days when he had come home from the bar…and most of all, brave how he had been every single time he stood up on Lily's behalf. He swallowed air.

"I've…I…" He squeezed his fist together so tightly that his fingers turned red and the blood rushed to his brain. "Lily I just…I want you to know…I…I love you." The words were foreign to him, and he muttered them quietly before looking down to his feet, afraid to catch her eye. There it was. Years of holding it in and it had finally escaped, and it was as if a thousand pound weight was lifted off of his shoulders. When he finally looked up, Lily was standing there grinning like an idiot.

When he saw her grin, he couldn't help but give her one back. For once, he grinned. And know he was certain, positive, that everything was going to be different.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry for the delay, things got hectic (just graduated High School wooo!) So I was absent for a little , here's the next chapter all ready for ya'all.**

Things had surely been different and it was as if the entire aura of Hogwarts had changed. Lily was still her happy, bubbling self. Severus on the other hand, displayed the most significant change of the two. While around his Slytherin friends, he was his old self, and around his other classmates, he was still somber and quiet. With Lily though, it was as if the world had opened up and he was seeing things that had been so different to him. He was beginning to notice the little things, like the way her hair draped over her shoulder, or the way the small freckles crawled across her cheeks- things that he never sat down to notice before. It was as if telling her that he loved her changed everything.

Love scared Severus. While on vacation, he would sit at home and observe how his parents acted towards him, and towards one another. Towards Severus, his mother was kind and loving- everything a mother should be. She would cook, and clean, and tuck him in at night just to ensure that she loved him. His father on the other hand was much louder, ruder, and he didn't hesitate to smack Severus when he was wrong in Tobias' eyes. Severus was sure that there was never a thing called love, until he met Lily. The green eyes were reassuring that there was something bigger and better for him in life, whether it be here or there.

Severus and Lily made frequent visits to the Shrieking Shack. On nights that Lucius Malfoy and his friends weren't lurking around, Severus and Lily found it was the most quiet and intimate place to talk. That night, Severus was going to take another big step for him. He was going to kiss her. Just thinking about it made it seem like it was impossible, and he often thought about skipping over it in hopes she wouldn't notice. He had often seen Lily's parents kiss, and just the soft, quick, sweet kiss seemed as if it was enough to make them both smile at each other and reassured their love. Severus was going to do it. That night, he dressed himself in a nicer black robe than the ones he had worn before, and washed his hair. He stood in front of the mirror in the room and surveyed his appearance. Average; no, below average. This is all Severus was. He briefly scratched his nose and nodded. "You can do this." He reassured himself quietly, and turned quickly on his heel, heading quietly from the room. The goal was to keep Lucius asleep- the last thing he needed was the questioning he knew he would receive.

They met under the Womping Willow, precisely at 10:45 pm. It seemed to be the safest time for the two of them, seeing as everybody had been in bed and most of the professors had been taking a small break from their hallway patrolling. He leaned back against the rock, being sure to make small movement so he didn't wake the tree, and he arched his head up towards the moon. Tonight, it was full, and absolutely beautiful. It shone brightly over the entire grounds, giving Hogwarts a certain glow that made it look almost surreal. Something Severus had never taken the time to admire before. And then he saw her. Her bright red hair was hard to miss in the moonlight, it was nearly as beautiful as in the sunlight (though Lily would have been beautiful rolled around in mud with her hair tied in impossible knots). She rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck, and in return he wrapped his arms lovingly around her waist. These intimate hugs were the most important parts of his days. "Lily.." he breathed into her hair in relief; relief that she was in his arms once again after a long day of bustling idiots. "Hello, Sev." She replied, and she untwisted her arms from his neck and grabbed his hand, leading him carefully down through the tunnel.

It seemed as if hours had gone by, Severus usually lost count when he was with her. They laid on the dusty bed in the upstairs room and talked. He usually wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and if he was feeling brave, around her waist. Close was not close enough for him, and often he pressed a kiss onto the top of her head as she told him stories from home- usually about Petunia and her horrid boyfriend Vernon.

"And here's the worst part…." Lily began, moving her head to rest on the part of Severus' shoulder that connected to his chest. He sucked in a soft breath. "That would be…" He began, arching his eyebrow softly.

"They're engaged." The words spewed from her lips like poison, and Severus paused, staring for a long moment at Lily. Suddenly, a foreign noise escaped his lips and he threw his head back, laughing towards the ceiling. "Oh…Oh Lily you're kidding me. That poor man…" Severus laughed once more. It was a beautiful laugh, probably one of the most happy things that Lily had ever heard. It was low and calming, and Lily couldn't help herself but laugh along with him. Truly, the thought of Petunia married would cause every flower in the world to wilt to death.

Severus was thinking irrationally. Mid laugh, as if all the courage he ever had built up, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Lily's. It was a strange feeling, they were soft. He wasn't expecting anything less, but just the feeling made him smile, but he paused and quickly pulled away. "I…I…Oh I'm sorry.." He quickly spewed out, his cheeks turning a bright pink color. Lily grinned and grabbed his collar, pulling him into another heart wrenching kiss. It lasted only a brief moment before Lily and Severus jumped at the loud crashing noise from downstairs. Lily's eyes went watery and she grabbed Severus, and he instantly became defensive. "Lily, hide behind the bed." He muttered, standing and reaching for his wand.

Whatever it was, wasn't getting through.


	5. Chapter 5

**One of my shorter chapters, but, in due course it shall work itself out. More to come hopefully much faster!**

Severus could swear that his heart was beating a million miles a minute. The only time it ever beat this fast was when he was by Lily- which, was every day. He gripped his wand tightly with his hand to the point that he could feel the small bits of sweat collaborating on his palm; he felt as if one wrong grip and his wand would go slipping to the floor and everything would be ruined. He knew that right now, this very moment in time in which Lily's fragile and beautiful life was placed in his hands, he had to be wise and summon the courage he knew was deep down inside of him. The noises became closer, and Severus closed his eyes, listening to the pitter patter. He could hear one…two…three sets of feet. One more raging and cruel than the other two. He opened his eyes, and suddenly he was focused.

His dark brow creased in concentration, and along with his wand they both faced to the door, anticipating what was to happen next. "Lily…" He whispered quietly to the red head who poked her head up from behind the bed. He swallowed the lump of courage in his throat. "If, for a reason beyond my control, things spiral out of hand…" He paused, listening as the raging footsteps became closer to the door. "I love you." His eyes widened as the doors bursted open to a large, hairy, raging monster. Severus' eyes narrowed and he took another step back. Werewolf. Fear came crashing around Severus as he quickly realized there was no way to stop this beast, not a spell could do it; only a potion. But what time in the world did he have to make a potion at this hour? It would have been absurd and right now, all that mattered was Lily's life.

He stared at the werewolf for a brief moment, and the wolf stared back, the look in it's eyes terrifying and deadly. Severus knew the wand would be no help to him as of now so he grabbed a nearby book, hoping to throw it so it hit the werewolf in the head, in hopes that at least Lily could escape. He gave Lily a calm look, adverting his eyes from hers to the door behind the werewolf, and Lily nodded. Though the nod signaled okay, it was merely modesty and she was more terrified than she ever had been. Severus raised the book and chucked it towards the werewolf, and the moment the book collided with it's skull, Lily took off towards the door, but not quietly enough. The wolf turned around sharply, a sort of foaming saliva dripping from it's teeth and it stared at Lily, inching closer. She knew those eyes, they were familiar. Her heart was pounding and she was frozen to her spot. The werewolf let out a loud growl and leaped towards Lily, and within a split moment Severus jumped in front, allowing the werewolf to scratch him instead of Lily.

He let out a loud scream as the werewolf clawed at his chest, legs, and arms. It was all becoming fuzzy, and he could feel the warmth of his blood soak into his clothes, and the aroma of the blood filled the room quickly. It was as quick as a flash, and the werewolf was tackled to the ground by what looked like a dog to Severus (well, all that he could see with his vision), and he instantly felt Lily's warm embrace, cradling his head. "Come on Sev…we have to get out of here.." She urged softly, trying to help him up. He allowed her to guide him, and he weakly tried to follow her out. Entering the room as they were leaving was a stag, and Severus' eyes tried to follow it. This all seemed far too familiar…or planned. He only made it not even ten yards from the Shreiking Shack before collapsing to the ground in another pool of his blood. Everything was aching; his legs, his arms, his chest, and his heart. He swallowed and was once again engulfed by Lily's warm embrace. "Oh Sev…" She said quietly, tears pooling in her eyes but daring not to fall down her cheeks. "I have to get Poppy…" She placed a hand over the cloth of his shirt and in response he winced, his head falling back into her arms. It was all going away…her scent, her voice, her face… he reached with a shaky hand to try and touch it, to make sure that she was there and was going to stay there, but it was too much. His hand collapsed back to his side and he fell into her arms, limp, his eyes closing to peace. If this was death, it was in the most perfect place; Lily's arms.


	6. Chapter 6

**/ It was a rather quick update! I was working the two chapters at once. Please remember I own no characters, all belong to JKR and her wonderful brain, and are only used for the purpose of my story.**

**ALSO!::!:!:!:!:: For the sake of the chapter, as we all know (or most of us :) )the Wolfbane potion was not invented until after the Marauder Era. For the sake of my AU story and the future of it, the potion was invented in this time. It is a rather hard potion to brew though, so it is rarely attempted. Please keep in mind, it is all AU :) /**

"You could have KILLED her!"

"Who takes someone beyond castle grounds on a full moon? AND Lily of all people?"

"I forgot!" Severus spat, his dark eyes becoming furious by the second.

"Nobody forgets, Severus. Didn't Sirius tell you?"

Lupin paused. He was, surprisingly, more than embarrassed about what happened the past night and how weak Severus had been. Lupin, in his secret werewolf form, was cunning, dangerous, and unpredictable. Severus rolled his eyes and threw his head back into the pillow. Imbeciles. All of them.

"And why do you suppose Sirius would tell me anything? And what makes you think I would listen to the half-wit?" Severus said, calmly, his anger beginning to subdue, but his guard stayed on an all time high.

" So you wouldn't go. Severus…Please. You must keep this a secret. I am more than sorry that I have done this to you, but you of all people should know that a werewolf cannot control themselves."

"NO kidding?" Severus said with a loud voice, his eyes narrowing at the thin boy sitting at the foot of the bed. Why did he need forgiveness anyway? What did it matter, he was a Marauder, and the Marauders were the enemy. Remus stood and paced the foot of the bed. "Lily cannot know." He said calmly, his hands clasping behind his back. "It's dangerous for me to even tell you, but I was afraid you would go hunting."

Severus rolled his eyes rather dramatically and sighed. Lupin began again. "Severus, I must ask you though….how in Merlin's name did you know how to get past the Whomping Willow and into the Shreiking Shack?"

Severus could feel his entire body freeze. It was as if someone lifted him and left him in a freezer for a good month then pulled him out to thaw. Back when Lily had left him, he became unusually fascinated with the Dark Arts, and became rather close to Lucius Malfoy and his friends, like Avery. When Severus learned that Lucius was in a sort of 'training' to become a Death Eater, Severus became fascinated. One night, Lucius snuck out to meet with the Dark Lord at the Shrieking Shack and Severus followed quietly. Perhaps, he thought, he could get some insight as to how to get in. He followed behind Lucius quietly, avoiding any sort of contact with the boy, until they reached the Whomping Willow. He took shelter behind a bush and watched closely as Lucius successfully made his way past the Willow. Severus wasn't going in just yet. He followed for many nights, observing how to move past the willow with ease, then sneak back to the castle and climb to bed, dreaming of a beautiful red head girl with bright green eyes.

"I just know." Severus spat, staring at Lupin intently. "What I know is my business, none of anybody else's' business. Especially not a Marauder." He said, an upset tone of voice. Remus paused once more, his hands moving to clasp in front of his waist. "There is no way to cure-" He began, but was quickly interrupted by Severus. "Wolfbane. Doesn't cure, but minimizes effects." Severus scoffed, as if appalled that Lupin would even dare to question his potion skills. "This is why I visited.." Lupin began once more, clasping his hands.

"Now, only James and Sirius know of my…'other half'." He air-quoted the name as if it were poison. "Severus, as you just witnessed the other night, the transformation is deadly. I can harm…" He said regretfully, taking a quick glance at the patched up mess on Severus' chest. He moved and stood at the foot of the bed. "You know that I would never come to you for anything, unless it were completely important. And if you were to help, James and Sirius, as well as Lily, cannot know. But Severus, you are the only advanced potion student I know, and I prefer not to see Professor Slughorn." Remus urged, which spiked a sudden interest in Severus. "And…what is in it for me?" Severus asked, his brow raising. He knew exactly what he had wanted, and he wasn't prepared to budge. Lupin's thin shoulders shrugged gently, and Severus quickly spoke. "If I am to brew you this potion, you must cover for Lily and I." He pushed himself up in bed, his weak arms shaking beneath the weight of his torso and he groaned. Once up properly, he began once more. "I'm beyond finished with you friends running after us every which way. I want peace, and you will cover." Lupin nearly choked on his own tongue. The thought of Lily and Severus made him want to secretly vomit, but he nodded in agreement. If it meant his peace of mind, he would take it.

After a moment's worth of silence, Lupin left the hospital wing, leaving Severus on his own to think. Hiding something from Lily would be damn near impossible. She could find him out in a second, and if she found out he lied, it would mean his relationship with Lily, and the sake of Lupin's secret. Quite honesty, Lupin's secret was no concern to Severus. All Severus was focused on was the fact that he and Lily would get quality alone time without those half-wits sniffing into their business.

He lowered himself back into his pillows and let his eyes slip shut. He was prepared to sleep, he would be out of here tomorrow and he had much work to do.


	7. Chapter 7

/ Once more, not my characters all belong to JKR and her glorious mind. Reviews are ALWAYS appreciated, but please keep in mind this is only an AU story. /

Severus found that the rest of the week in the infirmary had flew by in a hazy breeze. He could have sworn Lily had visited, and he vaguely remembered her sitting on his cot next to him and brushing black, greasy strands of hair from his face. The medication he was on took a real toll on his body, but within a week he was back to his normal self. Lily had visited him on the last day, presenting him with one black flower.

"I found it, walking the meadow with Mary." She said with a soft smile. "It reminded me of you… it seems to be all you wear." She knew him well, and he took the flower with a big grin and he kissed her forehead. These next couple days would be harder than ever. How could he be expected to lie to the girl he loved? With an impossible challenge ahead, he took to the practice potions room and began to brew. He knew he was working with an impossible potion…quite advanced for a wizard of his age and skill level. The underlying goal was time alone with Lily.

If Lupin were to stick to his promise, and he would, then Severus would be able to spend quality time with Lily. This meant no Sirius, no Remus, no Peter, and NO Potter (which was, of course, the best part of the deal). He dropped the aconite into the brewing cauldron and stepped back. Now, a half an hour until the desired effect…if it was correct. He was focused intently on the potion when from behind him, there was a quiet clear of the throat, causing him to jump a foot and turn around quickly.

Lily.

His cheeks turned a dark red color and he felt the blood drain from his feet. "Lily…I…I…." He stammered, running a hand through his thick hair. Clearly, this lying act wasn't starting off so well. Lily stepped forwards towards the table and looked down into the cauldron, cringing her nose at the horrid smell. "What in Merlin's name are you doing down here, Severus?" She asked, leaning back into the wooden work table mounted in the middle of the room. He could feel his hands begin to sweat, and he fought for breath. "I…well I was…I was bored so I figured I would…practice!" He shouted the word as if shocked that he said it, then quieted once more. Had she believed it, then all would be okay. "You're lying." She stated bluntly, and folded her arms. Had she caught his bluff?

He suddenly stood straight and his eyes remained fixed on her own. Oh, how could someone ever lie to eyes so beautiful? "And why do you find it…suitable, to accuse me of lying?" He asked sternly, turning his back to her to check on the potion, now beginning to bubble down in the cauldron. In a flash he caught her red hair moving across the table to look straight at him. "It's been years since we have known each other, Severus. For Merlin's sake, just tell me what it is for!" She said with a sterner voice this time, and Severus sucked in more air. Unhappy Lily made for unhappy Severus. The mixture of nervousness and the annoyance that she wouldn't stop asking built inside him, and he hit his hand on the table. "Damn it, Lily, I've told you at least a million bloody times that it is just practice!" He said loudly, his eyes bearing into hers. But, as soon as the words came out, he regretted them immediately. "Lily…" He said softly, trying to reach across the table to the hand that pulled away from him immediately. "I'm sorry…" He tried to apologize, but she had hot tears streaming down her face and suddenly, it was like fifth year again when he called her the name. His heart was breaking and he stepped around the table. "Lily please… it was merely stress." He tried to reach for her, but she pulled away once more and ran from the room. "Lily!" he called, and he ran after her, only to stop at the potions room doors. She was beautiful, even if she had been running from him. His heart ached in his chest and he dropped his head in embarrassment and sadness before sulking back into the potions room.

It had been very late into the night, and Severus was trying for his third round of Wolfsbane. His hair was a mess, his eyes darker than normal, in accordance with the new forming bags from lack of sleep and stress. Though the potion was important, all he could think about was Lily, and the sadness in her eyes when he raised his voice to her like that. Was this all worth it? He slammed his closed fist onto the wooden table in a moment of pure rage and straightened his back. He was exhausted, and bored. He stepped back until the back of his legs made contact with a chair, and he collapsed into it, his thumb and pointer finger coming to rub the bridge of his nose.

No, this wasn't worth it. He couldn't lie to her like that. If he could trust anyone to keep a secret, it would be Lily…he knew it as a fact.

He stood, pushed his potion off to the side and ran from the room, casting a patronus to Lily along the way, begging her to meet him quietly outside the Gryffindor Common Room.

He couldn't lose her…she had to know.


	8. Chapter 8

/ I apologize for the delay in my story. The first couple weeks of college have taken quite a bit of a toll on me. I hope that you still find my story interesting, and you still follow along regardless of the time apart. Once more, my characters belong to JKR and only JKR, merely used for the purpose of my story. Oh…and this chapter is definitely M for some smut. Cause really, who doesn't like smut? /

Severus couldn't contain his feet as he sprinted through the hallways after Lily. She was quick as a doe, but he was fast, and he had hoped that his patronus had caught up with her in time to deliver the news. His legs carried him faster up the stairs and around the corridors, dodging students throughout. It was like a maze, an obstacle course to the love of his life. He skidded around the corner and came to a stop in front of the Gryffindor Common Room, and he couldn't control his brief moment of relief that she had been standing there quietly, with her hands grasped behind her back. She looked… agitated. He swallowed the lump in his throat and he held a hand out to her. "I'm sorry, Lily…" His voice was barely a whisper as he prepared himself to beg for forgiveness. There was no sound, and she stared at his pale hand, extended towards her.

"I want an explanation." She said quietly, and he couldn't help but stare into those green eyes. He knew he wasn't supposed to tell, and to break a promise would be to break everything that he had right now. He could risk the chance of Lupin's exposure, and in turn, lose the alone time with Lily that had been promised in return for the potion. He felt himself scowl at the thought in his head, but, her green eyes bore into his and he couldn't help but nod gently. It had been nearly impossible for Severus to say no to those eyes, especially when she gave him the helpless look that she was now. "Come…not here." His arm wrapped protectively around her waist, and he led her away from the door.

The sky had begun to turn dark, as if the brightness had cracked and the darkness seeped through. Darkness was where it all lurked, and Severus couldn't help but instinctively pull Lily closer to his body, to protect her from the darkness that tried to claim them as they continued forward. He led her to a small garden, just outside the east side of the school. It was where he went to think, and now, to break news to Lily. He sat her down on a marble bench and he looked down at her. She looked breathtaking. The moonlight lit her green eyes perfectly, as if they had been glowing like the brightest emerald found just of the shore of a beautiful sea. Of course, and her hair. It was a soft, vibrant red that made him long to run his fingers through it. Not now, not yet.

"Lily…" He began, looking down at her with the most serious expression that he could muster up. "What I tell you here, you musn't tell anyone, do you understand?" He asked, and in response, she nodded and folded her hands politely in her lap. She was eager to understand what he had been doing; eager to understand what he had been hiding potion-wise, and above all, eager to understand what was found was so important to hide from her. He nodded and clasped his hands together behind his back. "Do you…remember… the night in the Shrieking Shack?...Well of course you remember." He murmured to himself, and he swallowed yet another lump of fear and regret. "Well, that werewolf, that had attacked me…" He paused and stared at a flower in the garden, trying to figure out how to word the rest of this complicated message.

"It was Lupin. He transforms. He attacked me, not willingly; more…instinct. So, in an effort to get alone time with you, I agreed that I would make the Wolfsbane potion to help him, and he would make sure that we could be…alone…without…Potter." The words came out of his mouth faster than lightning, and he turned to face her. He had never seen a look like that come across Lily's face. In fact, he didn't imagine that it could. Her eyes were that of pure rage, her lips pressed into a thin line that was a clear scowl, and obviously, she hadn't heard anything past 'It was Lupin.' "That…That…That ARSE!" She screamed, and Severus jumped back with a slight moment of terror. "He tried to hurt YOU!" She screamed, her hands clasped into fists.

Severus had never seen Lily react so explosive to anything, and he reached forward and grasped her shoulders gently. "Lily… you mustn't say ANYTHING." He enforced once more, looking at her sternly. "Please…" He let his thumb stroke her cheek, and within a moment she had been back to her normal state of mind. "Fine." She said, clearly unhappily.

He knew this was going to be harder than he had expected.

The next couple days had been like walking on a mixture of hot rocks and needles with Lily. She had been upset and snippy, so in an attempt to make her feel a little more at ease, Severus had invited her to his dorm for supper. He could cook, believe it or not. By bribing Professor Slughorn slightly, Severus was allowed supervised time in the kitchen to prepare a meal (not an extensive one at that). When Lily arrived to his dorm, he couldn't help but stare at her for a moment. She looked absolutely beautiful. "Lily…" He breathed, and a hint of a smile crossed his lips. "You look fantastic… Well, you always look fantastic." His words caused a hint of a blush across her cheeks, and he led her in, taking her coat.

Dinner had been enjoyable, Lily found that she was thoroughly surprised with his cooking skills. It wasn't until after that they had been sitting on his bed, her hands around his waist and his behind his head. "Severus?" She asked quietly, her head tilting up to look at him briefly. "Hmm?" His hand played with her red curls lackadaisically. "Are you a virgin?" The question made him pale considerably and he sat up, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. Was he a virgin? What a question to ask! Of course he was a virgin, the only girl he could ever imagine doing anything with would have been her. "I…well I…yes." He muttered, and his eyes adverted from hers. "Me too." She admitted, and he wasn't entirely surprised. He had figured she was. Lily was always brave, and in a fluid motion her hand was placed on his upper thigh, and his breath hitched in his throat.

He had never been touched by a girl. Well, never touched _there_. He looked to her and she looked up at him, the warmest look of curiosity and innocence fogged her face, and just the thought about what that would have been like nearly made him weak. Bravery, Severus. He leaned forward and crushed his lips to hers, and within a moment they were both thrown into the depths of passion. It hadn't been long before both of their clothes were shed in a curious haze, his hands exploring the curves of her hips while hers explored his fit torso, and the lines across his stomach. Was he to make the first move? He hadn't been entirely sure, but playing it off that way, he let his hand drift up carefully and hesitantly from the curve of her waist to the curve of her breast, and the intimate contact made both of them suck in a breath.

He pressed his lips to her warm neck, kissing the skin there as her hands travelled his body, eventually pulling away the piece of fabric that had been the barrier between baring it all and hiding away. "Wait…" he begged for a moment along her neck, and reached forward, grabbing his wand from the bedside table, before muttering a contraceptive spell and tossing it away. The rest of it was a haze. Her hands wrapped around his member, a feeling that he had never experienced in his life and it made him gasp in pleasure, then his hands were on her chest, down her stomach, and he ripped away her barrier, letting his fingers explore as well. It was new, and he examined her facial expressions with each movement he made. Seeing as she couldn't make a word for the life of her, it was the only way he could tell if he had been doing something right or wrong.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his body hovered above her and she nodded. "I'm positive." He swallowed and they were united, both letting out a pleased murmur and sigh as he began to move his hips in a bold motion. Her expressions were arousing, and his lips explored every part of her body as he continued to press, harder and faster. It wasn't long until he noticed something different. Something…felt…different, and he looked to her. "Lily why…" He began, "Don't stop.." She gasped, grabbing his hips, and he complied, picking up his pace. He couldn't hold back the orgasm that threatened their act and he groaned, pressing his face into the curve of her shoulder and the bottom of her neck as his thrusting slowed to nothing, and she gasped, coming down from hers as well.

It had been something beautiful. It had been much more than just sex to him, it was an act of love, something sacred to him. He curled next to her as she held him tightly. This was the perfect part, he wanted nothing to change. He loved her.


End file.
